Thursday, October 30, 2003

Kantian philosopher Kelly Ross says,

“Whether it is called ‘permissiveness’ by the Right or ‘consumerism’ by the Left, the exuberance of popular culture, especially its vulgarity, garishness, frivolity, and eroticism, is a profound challenge to the anaesthetic moralism that characterizes the mentality of those who would like to be, or are accustomed to be, telling others what kinds of worthy things they ought to be doing.”

Moralism is a technical term meaning the extension of moral judgment into activities requiring only ethical, aesthetic or practical judgment. Morality is properly concerned with actions, intentions and consequences involving harm to others and oneself. Ethics are such things as manners and conventions, activities which improve or harm relationships and prosperity. Aesthetics is about beauty and quality. Practical judgment is simply about what works, into which any of the previous categories may fall.

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